Former Boise State standout carted off after ‘scary’ ankle injury at Dallas Cowboys practice

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Tyrone Crawford is attended to by the training staff after suffering an ankle injury Tuesday in Oxnard, Calif. Rodger Mallison/Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Tyrone Crawford is attended to by the training staff after suffering an ankle injury Tuesday in Oxnard, Calif. Rodger Mallison/Fort Worth Star-Telegram

A tough training camp for former Boise State football players in NFL training camps continued Tuesday.

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Tyrone Crawford appeared to suffer a significant ankle injury while chasing down running back Ezekiel Elliott at training camp in Oxnard, Calif. Crawford was taken off the field on a cart.

“Sources said the preliminary diagnosis for Crawford was that he suffered a lateral sprain to the outside of his ankle, which isn’t usually a long-term injury,” the newspaper reported. “That would give Crawford a chance to return before the season opener Sept. 10 against the Giants. The club was still awaiting the results of an MRI late Tuesday.”

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In his sixth season with Dallas after being taken in the third round in 2012, Crawford has 12.5 career sacks after posting 4.5 last season. He signed a five-year, $45 million deal in 2015. He missed all of the 2013 season with a torn Achilles tendon.

Linebacker Sean Lee told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: “That’s tough to see. He’s a leader for us and an incredible football player. We’re praying it’s something he can come back from and be all right. You know, if it’s an injury, he’ll find a way to come back and battle back. He’s one of the toughest people I’ve ever met.”

Crawford’s injury is the latest in a handful of hiccups for former Boise State players: Tampa Bay waived wide receiver Thomas Sperbeck on July 30 after a hamstring injury, a concussion has kept Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi out of regular practice for a week, Bengals safety George Iloka suffered a knee injury July 31 that will keep him out three or four weeks, and safety Chanceller James was involved in a collision that led to a teammate being taken away in an ambulance Tuesday.

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